By the time Scott Sanderson became a Yankee, he was already a thirteen-year veteran of the big leagues. He started his career with the Expos in 1978 and was 56-47 during his six seasons up north. He then pitched another half-dozen seasons for the Cubs, where he won in double figures just once. In 1989, this right-handed native of Dearborn, MI signed a one-year free agent deal with Oakland and proceeded to have a career year. Pitching in a rotation that included 20-game-winners Dave Stewart and Bob Welch, Sanderson finished 17-11 during his first season in the American League, helping the A’s win the AL West flag. The A’s re-signed him that December and then almost immediately sold him to the Yankees.

The Yankee rotation Sanderson joined was in a shambles. Tim Leary had been New York’s biggest winner the previous season with a 9-19 record. Not one Yankee starter had managed to finish the 1990 season with a winning record. Sanderson got off to a great start as a Yankee, taking a no-hitter into the ninth inning of his pinstripe mound debut against Detroit. He finished the 1991 season with a 16-10 record and a 3.81 ERA and was the only pitcher on that horrible club to achieve double-digit victories and a winning record.

Sanderson’s second year in the Bronx was not as noteworthy. He again was the only Yankee starter with a winning record, going 12-11, but his ERA climbed to 4.93. When his contract expired at the end of the 1992 season, the Yankees did not try to re-sign him. Sanderson shares his July 22nd birthday with this former Yankee DH and this one-time Cy Young Award winner.